Energy and Economic Summit 2012, Atlantic Council (Istanbul, Turkey)

"Tzvetan Vassilev is a true business leader, great friend, and a highest-ranking member of the Atlantic Council. He has an outstanding insight not only on the way the Eurozone functions and influences Southeast Europe, but also on the Eurozone itself and its place in the world — will it last or not and what to expect next," said Frederick Kempe, president of the Atlantic Council, during the Energy and Economic Summit which took place in November 2012 in Istanbul, Turkey. The event is organized each year by the Atlantic Council — a non-governmental organization with more than 50 years of history.

Tzvetan Vassilev is among the most prominent participants in the summit which gathers political and business leaders from the region and the world. They discuss leading economic and energy topics and identify measures to promote regional cooperation and economic growth, political stability, investments, and trade.

The aim is to build and strengthen the positive relationship between the countries and the business in the region between Eastern Europe, Central Europe, and the Far East, while maintaining a good relationship with key players outside the region – the USA, China, and the Persian Gulf countries.

Traditionally, the summit focuses on the regional and infrastructural needs and opportunities, the financing of various projects, the creation of common energy markets, and the diversification of fuel suppliers.

Among the main topics in 2012 were the consequences of EU financial instability and the development prospects before the region. Commenting on one of the topics, Tzvetan Vassilev pointed out that "when speaking of the crisis in Europe, the series of systemic errors have to be taken into account alongside the global crisis." An example of these was the manner in which the EU expanded. Vassilev felt that if the EU continued along this road, its chances of retaining its integrity were "fifty-fifty." A change of rules was needed since there was "a lack of leadership" at the moment and a lack of a clear vision for overcoming the negative effects of the crisis.